Crate.



No. 663,052. P a tentad Doc. 4,1900. H. 5.1mm.

. QBATE.

I (Application filed Oct. ,6, 1897.)

(No Model.)

fame/2Z0)":

fi a't/zesses no, WASH N UNITED STATES A PATENT Gaston HENRY B. TODD, OFAVON PARK, FLORIDA.

CRATE.

SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,052, dated December4, 1900.

Application filed October 6, 1897.

To ctZZ whom it nutty concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY B. TODD, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Avon Park, in the county of De Soto and State of Florida,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, whereby any oneskilled in the art can make and use the same.

My invention relates to the class of devices used for safely packingfruits and vegetables for transportation or storing; and the object ofmy invention is to provide a device of this class so constructed as tonecessitate the storing or packing of the fruit in a certainpredetermined position.

To this end my invention consists in the details of construction of thedevice and in the combination of parts making up the crate as a whole,as hereinafterdescribed, and more particularly pointed out in theclaims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crateembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is aside view of the same.

In packing or crating fruit and vegetables for transportation prior tomy invention a difficulty had been experienced in attempts to so packthe fruit that it would not be injured in the handling of the packagesin which it was contained. It is essential to the proper preservation ofthe fruit that plenty of ventilation shall be had and a common practicehas been to construct the crates of end pieces of considerable thicknesswith thin slats nailed thereto, a space being left between the slats forventilating purposes, thin slats being used for the purpose of securinglightness for the crate. In the employment of such a crate a blow uponthe thin slats, as from a fall of the crate, bruises the fruit lying onthat side of the crate, the thin slats not having sufficient rigidity toprevent the blow being transferred to the fruit through the springingaction of the slats.

In the packing of some fruit, as pineapples, it is essential that thefruit shall be maintained in an upright position either end up, and acommon practice is to pack the fruit with the butts and crownsprojecting alternately in the same direction, the ends of the 1 SerialNo. 654,260. \NO model.)

fruit protecting the main part if the fruit is maintained in thisposition; bntif maintained in a position with the sides uppermost thefruit is bruised at these points. As before stated, all of the fruit ofthis description is placed in the crate in a certain position with thebutts or crowns uppermost; but there has been no means prior to myinvention for insuring that the fruit shall be maintained in thisposition during packing or transportation.

By the use of my improved device I have provided means whereby a cratemay be constructed in part of thin slats, as heretofore, without dangerof bruising of the fruit by blows on the slats, and I have also providedmeans whereby fruit packed for transportation in the predeterminedposition shall be maintained to a considerable extent in that positionduring transportation.

In the accompanying drawings the letter (t denotes the end portions ofacrate constructed usually of wood or otherlight material of aconsiderable thickness, these end portions being united by thin slats bof any desired material suitably secured to the end portions.

The slats b are attached to the end portions so that in the case of arectangular-shaped crate one of the slats on one side of the crate willoverlap the edge of a slat on the side next to it at the corner. By thisconstruction any blow at the corner of the crate will not be transmittedto the fruit.

' A shield c, constructed of any desired light material, usually wood,is secured to the sides of the crate, this shield projecting to aconsiderable extent beyond the outer surface of the slats. This shieldis usually constructed of approximately-angular form and so attached tothe crate that it will not firmly rest in position if placed on thisside. A like rib or shield applied to the opposite side of the cratewill prevent another crate being placed on top, and it will be seen fromthis construction that it will be impossible to construct a pile ofcrates having my improvement so that they will rest with any firmness.The

sides. The crates may be piled to any extent in a car or steamer andresting on these sides with the desired degree of firmness.

By the use of the shields-or ribs the crates are also prevented frombeing packed so close together as to prevent air from freely circulatingbetween them.

I have shown and described herein one means of preventing the placing ofa crate in any but the predetermined position for the purpose oftransportation; but any means that will secure this result will comewithin the scope of the invention, and I do not desire to limit myselfto the precise means herein shown and described.

I claim as my invention- 1. A packing box or crate having two flatopposing bearing surfaces upon which the box is adapted to rest, and asingle shield 10- is adapted to rest, and a single shield located on andextending in a straight line across each of the other surfaces of thecrate and having a comparatively narrow edge, whereby a tipping movementis caused with the box resting on these strips.

HENRY B. TODD.

Witnesses:

R. 'DUGAL HALL, A. W. SARGENT, Sr.

